


Torch the Bridge

by hivecaptor



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Author Is Sleep Deprived, Bad Dreams, Comfort No Hurt, Cuddling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff with Angst, M/M, Night Vale Shenanigans, Nightmare, Nightmares, Trauma, cecil has the emotional stability today folks, they're married
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:21:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24820747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hivecaptor/pseuds/hivecaptor
Summary: Carlos wrapped his arms around Cecil's waist and sighed, breathing in the scent of him. He smelled like home, like 4am and hard lavendar soap. He was so warm and solid in Carlos's arms that he couldn't help but finally, finally relax.
Relationships: Carlos/Cecil Palmer
Comments: 8
Kudos: 69





	Torch the Bridge

_Stay good under pressure for years and years and years and years._

_President of the fan club up there choking on his tears._

It had happened for the third night in a row.

Carlos awoke in a cold sweat and bolted up right, expecting to find himself somewhere else, in _that_ place again. Panic gripped his chest but as he looked around, he was met only with the deep purple of his and Cecil's bedroom walls, dappled with silver moonlight. The curtains fluttered gently by the window where the ceiling vent blew cool air into the room.

Carlos put his face in his hands and fell back onto the pillow with a soft _thump_ , desperately trying to force himself to stop breathing so hard, why was he breathing so _hard_?

"Carlos?"

He hadn't meant to wake Cecil, he had wanted to do anything but. Still, he instinctively pulled toward him, short fingernails grasping at the thin tee shirt that his husband wore.

"Oh, bunny, what is it?"

"Dream," Carlos said. It came out choked and small and he cursed himself for sounding so weak. 

"Touching okay?" Cecil asked. 

He nodded and immediately felt strong, slender arms wrap around his back and pull him close. His face was buried in his husband's chest, still breathing hard. Cecil only held him as he shook, gentle hands brushing his hair out of his eyes and tucking it behind his ears.

Cecil pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his head. "Can you tell me what it was about?" he asked.

Carlos shook his head quickly. He couldn't, he didn't want to think about it more than he already was. Cecil steadied him with another kiss and a stroke of his tangled hair.

"Shh, alright. You don't have to talk about it. You're here and you're okay. I promise that you're safe."

Carlos wrapped his arms around Cecil's waist and sighed, breathing in the scent of him. He smelled like home, like 4am and hard lavendar soap. He was so warm and solid in Carlos's arms that he couldn't help but finally, _finally_ relax. 

He slipped his hand under his husband's tee shirt, fingers skipping across every plane of Cecil's body, every inch of warm, velvety skin that he could reach. It grounded him, helped him know that Cecil was there and so was he.

Carlos felt all the places where ink snaked up his waist, curling in the dip of his ribcage and ending just above the delicate jut of his hips. He catalogued every scar, every bone, every imperfection that made him adore Cecil all the more.

He kissed him, soft and gentle, just enough to know that Cecil was there. Though he was still shaking, still scared out of his mind, somehow Carlos knew that no matter what, Cecil wasn't going to leave. His lips were soft as Carlos kissed him and Cecil let him, idly stroking Carlos's hair.

When he finally broke away to breathe, Cecil rested his forehead against Carlos's. "I love you, bunny."

"I know," he said.

There were very few things in Night Vale he could be certain of, but Carlos knew that was one thing that would never change.

**Author's Note:**

> Title and quote from 'Heel Turn 2' by the Mountain Goats because this is a Night Vale fic and yes I do realize that I've probably already used this song but it slaps so who's going to stop me?
> 
> Seriously, who? Is it going to be you? 
> 
> Damn.
> 
> Anywho, I listened to episode 88 before I fell asleep and cried over Cecil calling Carlos 'bunny' because the mental health was spicy like that. I actually fell asleep at a normal time but since time isn't real, I also woke up at 2am and spent four hours writing this before passing out and sleeping until noon. 
> 
> Hopefully I sleep until at least noon. I need sleep. I have the insomnia of Jonathan Sims in season one of the Magnus Archives. 
> 
> I am going to sleep.
> 
> Probably.
> 
> Goodnight!


End file.
